Poultry-coop.



G. COLLIS, DECD.

F. M. COLLIS, EXECUTRIX.

POULTRY COOP.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9, 1915.

1,276,723. Patented Aug. 27,, 1918 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. FYgl.

6 /5 A9 160. /2 ll 10 9 /3 gmmmtot (Zea/ye Coll/Ls G. COLLIS, ,DECD.

F. M. coLus, zxacumx.

POULTRY COOP.

APPLICATION mm ocr.9. 1915.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Geo/ye Coll/Z5 Wi /w! GEORGE COLLIS, OF CLINTON, IOWA; FLORENCE MARY GOLLIS, EXECUTRIX OF SAID GEORGE GOLLIS, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO THE COLL IS COMPANY, OF CLINTON, IOWA,

A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

POULTRY-COOP.

Application filed October 9, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Coulis, a citizen of the United States, residin at Clinton, in the county of Clinton and tate of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Poultry-Coops, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingi drawing.

his invention relates to poultry coops and more particularly to chlcken feeding coops.

In an application heretofore filed by me on November 1, 1913, Serial No. 798,750, patented on August 1, 1916, No. 1,192,867, I have disclosed a chicken-feeding battery, so-called, which comprises cornermembers horizontally disposed cross-pieces attached to the corner-members one above the other in spaced relation, a plurality of cage-structures each of which is suspend ed from a set of cross-pieces and independently of the comer-members and, also, in spaced relation, and each of which cagestructures consists of portions formed of Woven strands, vertical side wires depending from the cross-pieces, and a cage-sustaining frame to which the" side wiresare attached at their lower ends and to which the strands of certain of the portions are attached at their upper ends, and a droppin scatching element disposed beneath ea h cage-structure and in spaced relation to the cage-structure which overlies it.

In the practical use of the structure, points of weakness have developed, and certain objections have been found to exist therein, which it is the object of the present invention to eliminate.

It is, therefore, one of the purposes of this invention to provide a structure which is essentially characterized by the features of stability and rigidity at all points.

A further object within the contemplation of the invention is the provision of more convenient means for supportingthe feeding-troughs in exterior juxtaposltion to the ca es.

till another object of the invention is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Serial no. 55,036.

to aggroup a series of cages in such manner that the entire structure is sanitary and also is practically indestructible, wherefore it can be moved from place to place convenlently and Without danger of injury to itself or to the contained chickens preparatory to their being killed for the market.

Still another object is the provision of convenient means for affording access to the different compartments in each cage.

The invention, therefore, seeks to provide a poultry coop or feeding battery which is particularly adapted for use when chickens are being fattened, as by the so-called milkfed method, preparatory to being killed for the market and which coop, from an op erative standpoint, has been found to possess a high degree of efiiciency, stability and durability and which, structurally considered, is of great simplicity.

There are other objects and advantages inherent in the structure, and these will be set forth hereinafter.

The invention resides broadly in the several features of construction and in the correlative aggroppment of the components thereof, all as exemplified in the structure hereinafter set forth, and the scope of application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention and which has, to a greater or less degree, the attributes whichI desire for my improved construction. As the invention permits of the utilization of various -modific'ations of the several instrumentalities employed for producing the desired results, it is to be understood that, in disclos ing a particular form of structure, I confine myself thereto only in so far as the principles of the invention are capable of being thereby carried into effect.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspectwe of my improved chicken-feeding coop, two of the cages and certain parts being omitted, more clearly to disclose the various features of the construction;

Figs. and 3 are detail ions, in vertical suspended from the longitndinai cross-nieces sectioin of the coop-supporting Wheels or Q anl from the npstaneing portions 6 of rollers; the frame 6, In each cage-struc ure taere Fig. 4: a view in horizontal section is a longitudinallyextenoing frame 9 rec taken between two cage structures and shontangular in torin and secured to the ends ing av portion in top plan; of the cage. It is formed with a mesh 10, Fig. 5 is a YlQW in bottom plan of one of Disposed between the ends of each cage are the droppings-catching elements; transverse partition-frames 11 provided Fig. (5 is a fragmentary view in vertical "With Woven mesh 12. These instrumentali- 1 section thereof; ties dii'ide each cage or basket into four Fig.

is a detail rice, in perspective of separate compartments. The longitudinal one oi the lfillliOlClllg-plittQS employed in partition is strengthened by brace-men connection with the seenrenient of the crosshers pieces to each other and to a COl11Ql1IlQ111- is the generalsnpporting-structure of the ber; coop comprising the corner-members, afore- Fig. 8 is a detached rien' in pcrspectire, iuentioned, are subjected to considerable of one term of trongh-sustaining bracket; lrain by reason of the Weight oi the parts Fig. is a similar View of a modified suspended ironi or attached thereto etc, 1 form of bracket; have found in practice that it is desirable to ig- 10 i flflfinientary YlQW in front elcreinforce the secureinent ot the crossqiieees ration of one ot the gates; and .2 and 3 to the corner-members and to each Fig. 11 is i'lQTV in vertical section, on the other. To this end. provide an angular line 11 11, 1O showing in full linesi the )late 14;, nhicln as shown in i, is bolted gate in its close. msition and in dotted at two oints, preterabign to the cross 5 lines; showing the gate in its elevated, ted hers 2 and 3, and at tour points, pref 1 position. to the corner-ineinbers. This plate is s Referring to these drawings. it will he in detail in noted that the reterencc-nuineral 1 indicates E jnitnbl secured upon the upper faces corner-members Wfliill, in this instanc conoi the longitudinal crossqneees Q are gianstitnte (with other coni'n'inents presently, to supporting strigs 1.3 and it), there being 1 he mentioned} the genera supportinghtruc one o these, disposed adjacent the ends I ture of the coop These ('Olllel-1llQ1l2l. Gi% oi b and wo 16 toward th middle are, preferably and as shown, formed of portion thereof. Each of the strips and angle-iron, and there are tour of them. it; provided with an upstanding liniit- Attached to the inner snrt of these stop 15 and 16 intermediate of its-ends. corner-ineinbers are a plurality of sets or tilidably supported by each pair of itips series of longitudinal cress-nienibers or iii and 15 are dro ipings-catching pans 1?, pieces and transverse cro .neiahers or two of these being; slicn'n in ogerat posipieees each set or series being arranged Lion in l, and "till set appeal ng in ,in spaced ielation to each other. These top rain in :(ne of these ping i instrie detached, is shown in 1* 5, t'hile, in 3. a ii ginentary portion illQlEO'i is also I in t. constitute in 58 321011 fines hereinafter shon'in nans are provided With an in nding h e .18 on three sides,

Qt their lower faces, the pan. ar p ovided i de ti t3, flush n'iti mrtion of flange-elem L the sides ot the no To c' i ans upon. the stir l9 ronnd erwise to d so nortion i A m each longitudinal cross-piece is provided with a guide-piece 23 offset so as to provide a space in which the gate is adapted to slide. The gates include vertical strands 24 and a horizontal strand 25, the ends of which are bent to form eyes 26 adapted to encompass two of the strands 4 of the cage-structure. As shown particularly in Fig. 11, the guidepieces 23 are sufliciently offset to provide a considerable space between the inner face of the guide-piece and the outer face of the cross-piece 2. I11 consequence, when the gate is in its elevated or open position-as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11it will tilt forward, and the eyes 26, by their frictional engagement, with the strands 24, will serve to hold the gate in its open position. To secure the gate in this position, I may, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, provide a gateholding hook 27 pivoted on the cross-piece 23 and adapted to engage the lower portion of the gate.

Any suitable supporting means for the coop may be provided; but, in the present.

instance, I have elected to provide swiveling rollers or wheels 28 at one end of the coop and rollers or wheels 29 at the opposite end thereof. These rollers are shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively.

In these feeding-coops, means must be provided for sustaining the ration or feeding mash. To this end, there is secured to each of the corner-pieces 1 a bracket-holding element 30, and on each of these is a swinging bracket 31, angular in form at its outer portion to sustain one end of a trough 32 (Figs. 1 and 8).. The particular form of supporting-bracket 31, shown in Fig. 8, is adapted to swing-on avertioal axis so that the outer end of the bracket will be positioned approximately parallel with the longitudinal sides of the cage. This ar-' rangement is desirable because, as the coops are moved through doorways and the like, these brackets can be positioned out of ,the way and, thus, prevented from becoming damaged.

In Fig. 9, I have shown a modified form of structure, this including a bracket-sustaining plate 33 formed with an angular portion 34 on which one end of a trough supporting bracket 35 is pivoted. The bracket 35 is so formed, as shown, that one portion, 36, will normally bear against and be held by the plate 33. When, however, a trough has been removed from the bracket 35 and the coop is to be moved through a doorway or the like, the bracket is swung on its horizontal axis 37 so that it will then occupy a position within the cage.

In each of these forms of trough-support ing brackets, the idea is to be able to dispose them so that they can be swung on their axes into a position where they are practically alined with, or disposed to one side From the foregoing, it will'be perceived that I have succeeded in devising a feedingcoop which is well adapted to achieve the several objects and ends in view. The entire structure is simple and compact in form and is particularly well suited for transferring chickens, which have been fattened by the so-called milk-fed method, from the feeding-room to the killing-room.

As many changes can obviously be made in this construction and many widely different embodiments of the invention can be made without adeparture from the spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A traveling metallic coop including a plurality of corner-members, supportingrollers attached thereto, a plurality of superposed cage-structures mounted on said corner-members in spaced-apart relation and comprising upper and lower crosspieces securedt-othe corner-members, and means for permitting access to the interior of each cage-structure comprising a slidable and tiltable gate having a bar at its lower end formed with eyes, a guide-element secured to the upper cross-piece, and vertical cage-wires embraced by said eyes.

2. A travelingmetallic coop including a plurality of corner-members, rollers connected to the lower 'portions thereof, "a cagestructure mounted on said corner-members and comprising upper and lower crosspieces and provided with an opening to afford access to the interior of the coop, a guide-element on the upper cross-piece, ver tical wires extending between said upper and lower cross-pieces, and a gate for closing said opening and mounted in said guide element and comprising a bar at its lower portion provided with eyes embracing said vertical Wires; said gate being movable to engage said bar with the guide-element, the gate then being tiltable outwardly.

3. A traveling metallic coop including a plurality of corner-members, rollers connected to the lower portions thereof, a cagestructure mounted on said corner-members and comprising upper and lower cross-pieces and provided with an opening to afford ao cess to the interior of the coop, a guide-element on the upper cross-piece, vertical wires extending between said upper and lower cross-pieces, a gate for closing said opening and mounted in said guide-element and com- GEORGE COMES.

prising a i'is lower p01 b 1011 91 0i with eye emb'mcmg said vel'lczfl xmsg beimovable to 311g 1 em. the g 

